After 2000 miles racing around the British Isles this race was right down to the wire and all 3 top boats were within the Plymouth Breakwater at the same time. Fujifilm crossed the line just 4 minutes behind Sungard Front Arena and just 17 minutes behind the winner, Solo.

Just a few hours earlier Alex and Malcolm had worked hard to gain a few extra knots of boat speed and Fujifilm had stormed into the lead off Start Point. Then, at dawn, the wind completely died. The others caught up before all four leading boats were becalmed off Salcombe. Alex and Malcolm were even forced to drop the anchor to prevent a strong tide pushing them backwards.

Alex said:”It was so frustrating for everyone. We had the lead then just a few miles from home and we’re stuck. But that’s yacht racing!”

Once the breeze picked up it was anyone’s race and the title was wide open again. It was a close fight to the finish, as it has been all the way round in this race, the Class 40’s are so evenly matched.

This race has been one of extremes. In the North Sea Fujifilm experienced 8 metre seas and severe gales of 48 knots. The boat was knocked down with the mast in the water and both Alex and Malcolm were washed out of the cockpit. Fujifilm hit a new top speed of 26 knots surfing down a wave into a wall of spray. Then, in this final leg from Lowestoft to Plymouth, they were becalmed and had to battle light and fickle winds to get home.

Alex and Malcolm were greeted in Plymouth by family, friends and the local media who have been following their progress.

The final leg proved to be as frustrating as predicted with light and fickle winds. Fujifilm caught up Sungard who had set off from Lowestoft with a lead of several hours. At 04:30 Alex and Malcolm were taking the lead when the wind completely died. The two Class 40’s behind Fujifilm caught up and all four parked up off Salcombe. At one stage there was so little wind and a strong tide that Alex and Malcolm had to drop the small anchor to prevent them going backwards.

As the breeze picked up the race was up for grabs and the four lead boats began their fight for the finish line. Alex and Malcolm managed to pick up some speed and were reeling in Sungard as they rounded Plymouth breakwater. The top 3 boats, Solo, Sungard and Fujifilm were all within Plymouth Sound, less than 2 miles, as the winner crossed the line.

After 2000 miles it was match racing to the finish and a great spectacle. It has been an awesome race, a hard won victory and podium position!

There was so little wind and a strong tide they were forced to anchor off Salcombe, as were the other three Class 40’s in the lead group.

The wind began to pick up around 0830 but Alex and Malcolm were forced to cut the anchor free as it had become well and truly stuck! They now have around 4 knots of wind and are heading further off the coast to try and catch the sea breeze as it develops (0930).

The four leading Class 40’s are still in a tightly packed group. The race is up for grabs, Alex and Malcolm will be pushing hard for the finish line in Plymouth but after 2000 miles around Britain this race is down to the wire!

The lead group are now just off Portland (20:00) and making their tactical decisions to try and capitalise on the changing wind direction. The title is still up for grabs as the tightly packed group races west towards Lyme Bay.

Sometime tomorrow, Friday, is the likely finish time and it is still anyone’s race to win. We are working Fujifilm as hard as possible to make sure we get every knot of speed from her. This has meant a very punishing schedule with virtually no sleep for the last two days and we hope we have enough reserves left to get us over the finish line. On the plus side, sailing conditions are good with flat seas, a steady 10 to 15 knot breeze and blue skies – we could be in the Med!

Plymouth is now almost in sight, but unfortunately the winds have been directly against us, until tonight when we are expecting a change. For most of this morning we have been sailing south west down the English Channel, now we have turned back towards the coast and are heading north west into Lyme Bay.

Arrival at Plymouth is very difficult to predict: it will depend upon how favourable and for how long we can ride in new winds forecast for tonight. Our most optimistic guess would be around 6am but probably later. It is too close to call who will be first across the line. Rest assured, we are pushing as hard as we can to make it Fujifilm.

Wish us luck, since I think whoever wins will need just a little!

Winds are light and tricky. Making the right tactical decision is vital to hold onto what little wind there is.

This final leg to Plymouth will take them into the English Channel and along the south coast where there is a high pressure system and predicted winds of 0 – 10 knots.

Alex said: “This leg is going to be highly tactical. It will be slow and any of the top four Class 40’s could snatch a victory but I’m confident we are in a great position and we are ready to push hard for the finish line.”

Fujifilm is just a couple of hours behind the lead Class 40 boat and is more suited to these lighter conditions. Alex and Malcolm will be closely watching the forecast and trying to make the most of the light airs as they race for home.

There are now 7 Class 40’s in the race after 2 retirements. This 12th edition of the RBI had a record entry of more than 50 yachts. For this race Alex and Malcolm have chosen to support the charity Hospiscare.

At our appointed start time just after 5.00pm, we hoisted a heavily reefed mainsail and genoa and headed out down the Sound of Bressay and into the North Sea.

Given the forecast – this was not without some trepidation.  Our plan was to head South East into the middle of the North Sea to give us a better sailing angle once we had turned for Lowestoft.  The only problem with the tactic was the fact that this was where the strongest wind and largest waves were predicted.    The North Sea produces particularly vicious, steep waves because it is so shallow.

All night the wind gradually built in strength until we realised that we were no longer racing, but making sure we survived.  For at least 12 hours we sailed with only a storm jib and no main.  The waves reached 20-30ft in height at times, with winds recorded of up to 48 miles an hour.  Certainly, these were some of the worst conditions that I have experienced at sea.  Both Alex and I were washed out of the cockpit by massive waves, relying on our life lines to keep us attached to the boat.  Eventually, we re-hoisted the main and turned back towards the English coast.  The waves were still massive. It must be the ultimate adrenalin rush to be sitting in the boat as it teeters on top of a wave and you look down a sheer drop into a valley below.  The wind picks the boat up and you are off, tearing down the side of the wave with spray everywhere.  At the bottom, the boat buries itself into the trough and you pray that the bow comes up – then it’s off again and on to the next wave.  At times, we were surfing at over 20 knots, with a top speed reached of 26 knots – insane really for a 40ft boat!

Apart from the extreme conditions – the trip did throw up a few other dramas and, with hindsight, you might even think they were amusing. 

The first involved me planting my head on probably the only sharp point on the boat when it pitched violently.  There was blood everywhere and I sent Alex for the med kit.  He set about trying to cut my hair away so he could get a plaster onto the wound.  If only we had a video of the incident – I am sure he came very close to planting the scissors well and truly into my head with the violent roll of the boat.  The repair was, however, successfully made!

The second incident was most unusual.  We had shut the hatch door to stop the water from the waves rushing down below.  At the same time, we were running the engine to charge our battery.  The engine needs air and, in doing so, created a vacuum in the cabin, which prevented us from opening the hatch door.  Alex tried to break the perspex viewing porthole with a winch handle, but it was too strong.  So, there we were in a full on gale, sitting outside in the cockpit with no means of getting into the boat!  Eventually, we managed to get a knife between the hatch and the seal, which broke the vacuum and we were safe again – but a close call.

After all the dramas, the last 100 miles to Lowestoft were relatively straightforward and we were given a warm welcome by the Yacht Club when we arrived. 

Sunguard has sailed a great race and must now be favourite for line honours.  There are, however, three other boats behind Sunguard, including ourselves, who all have a chance of taking first place.  The final leg is likely to be a light wind affair, which could easily mean anyone of the first four boats slipping through to take the lead. 

At the moment, Alex and I are making final preparations for our start tonight and we will be doing our utmost to make sure we bring Fujifilm into Plymouth in first place sometime on Thursday or Friday.